One of the more difficult tasks in my day as a criminal defense attorney, is the read-through of the initial report, or what we call the probable cause affidavit. These reports are accounts written by the arresting police officers that detail how everything, allegedly, went down. I say this part of my job is difficult because more often than not, I will be giving a report a read-through, feeling good about the case, and then getting to one line that changes everything. The part in the account where my client, by sheer ignorance, made a statement and said something they should not have, or gave some type of consent they had no business giving. In these moments my heart instantly sinks, and I think to myself, “Damn, they may have just blown their case.”
I will never forget the time a young man and his mother came into my office. We were going over what had happened, and I was feeling really excited about the prospect of defending his case, as I felt I had something to work with. Understand that in many of these cases there is just absolutely nothing to work with. Then, as we are reading together, I see it. In exchange for a phone call, this young man agreed to make a statement, and in this statement confessed to everything. If this man had only known how serious the situation was, and had only known his rights, things might have turned out much differently.
That is why I urge you all to take the time to read the US Constitution. You could save yourself from decades of prison time, all by reading this small book. You could very easily read this whole book in an afternoon or less. Do not be like that young man and find yourself sitting in some attorney’s office, or calling from some jail cell, talking about the mistake you made all because you did not take the time to read. Reading is fundamental, and the life and liberty that you save could be your own.
If you need a copy of this document, I have several free copies that I would be more than happy to provide you with. Just reference this video and I will have one rushed to you right away. If I can be of any more assistance, please let me know. Take care and remember, if you have to be guilty of anything, be guilty of greatness.